A Man of Science and Engineering in Troubled Times Wandering in the Late Qing Dynasty

Chapter 613 Testing
After returning to Shanghai from Nanjing, Li Yu received another invitation from Sheng Xuanhuai.

This old man was about to run out of gas. He called Li Yu because he wanted to ask a very concerned question: "Grand Scholar Li, they say you are, ahem, the most knowledgeable in the world." People, especially those who are familiar with foreign science, want to know whether there is a soul in this world, whether there is heaven and hell, and what will happen after death."

It's really hard to answer his question, after all, he is a dying person.

Sheng Xuanhuai saw Li Yu's hesitation, so he added: "Grand Scholar Li, just tell me directly. If there is no good result and I lie, I will still end up with hatred."

"It won't end with hatred. After all, you left such a big estate." Li Yu paused and said as much as possible in a way that the other party could understand, "Sheng Gong, then I will tell you what I know. After death, there is indeed no consciousness, because human thinking comes from the activity of the brain. After death, the heart stops beating and cannot supply blood to the whole body, and the brain will naturally die. As for heaven and hell, they only exist in the living people. heart."

"What you are saying is that my life was not in vain," Sheng Xuanhuai was a little sentimental. After cheering up, he said, "I have one more thing to thank you for letting you come. Without your help, maybe Hanyeping Coal and Iron Company would It will be mortgaged to the Japanese.”

Sheng Xuanhuai is the general manager of Han Yeping Company. Han Yeping and Steamship Merchants are the two largest industries of the Sheng family, and they are among the highest quality industries that can sustainably create cash flow.

Li Yu simply didn't want the Japanese to benefit, so he confessed: "Mr. Sheng, I simply can't stand the Japanese taking advantage of others' danger. We can't let the Japanese take away all the good things."

"Grand Scholar Li is indeed a national scholar," Sheng Xuanhuai praised, and then called his eldest son Sheng Enyi over, "Enyi, if you have to take on big responsibilities in the future, you will definitely take over the post of General Manager Han Yeping. What will happen to you in the future? If you can't make the decision on important matters, go to Dr. Li for advice. Not only is he a scientific giant, he is also proficient in business, and he can even start such a large industry on American territory."

Sheng Enyi said honestly, "I've written it down."

It's a pity that Sheng Enyi is actually a playboy and a super prodigal.

After walking out of Sheng Enyi's bedroom, Sheng Enyi immediately revealed his true colors, went to Li Yu and asked: "Mr. Academician, through what channels can I buy a high-end car that contains all your patents?"

Li Yu said: "Every month, a ship specially transporting cars will come to the Shanghai pier. You can just go and buy it."

Sheng Enyi asked again: "If I want to coat the entire car with a layer of gold, how difficult would it be?"

Li Yu wondered: "Gold plating? Car? I think the most difficult thing is probably how to prevent theft."

Sheng Enyi said carelessly: "Then there is nothing to worry about. Even if it is stolen, no one will dare to drive it. Because I will let the whole Shanghai know that the gold-plated car belongs to me, Sheng Laosi."

Li Yu really had nothing to say.

Sheng Enyi was definitely born with a golden key in his mouth. Not only is his father a powerful man, but his wife is the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sun Baoqi.

After Sheng Xuanhuai died, he was left with such a large fortune. At the age of 24, he became the general manager of Han Yeping Company. Later, Song Ziwen came back from the United States and worked as his English secretary.

However, Sheng Enyi Taizuo, such a huge industry actually failed him.

In fact, Sheng Xuanhuai knew what kind of virtue his son was, so in his will, he specifically set aside half of his assets as a charity fund, and only withdraws interest every year.

Compared with Li Hongzhang and others before him, Sheng Xuanhuai's assets are relatively transparent, totaling 1295 million taels of silver. This is an incredible amount of wealth, equivalent to billions in future generations, and the interest generated is naturally huge.

The Sheng family also owns a lot of real estate, including the Suzhou Liuyuan Garden where Sheng Enyi lives.

Li Yu didn't have time to chat with second-generation people like Sheng Enyi, but if the Japanese coveted Han Yeping Company again in the future, why would he still have to get involved.

-

Back in Yuyuan, not long after Li Yu sat down, Tou Shanman suddenly came to visit.

"Li Jun, I just went to the capital to find you not long ago, but I didn't expect you to come to Shanghai." Tou Shanman said.

Li Yu asked: "What does Mr. Toushan want from me?"

Toushan smiled and said: "Let's chat and drink tea."

"If that's all, I do have good tea here." Li Yu said.

Tou Shanman sat down in the living room, and Lu Bicheng served Mingqian Longjing. Tou Shanman said: "It's a pity that China gave up matcha in the Song Dynasty."

Li Yu said: "I think the bowl of tea is also good."

Toyama Mitsuru said: "From all indications, Japan is now the representative of the entire East Asia, and it is enough to keep some things in Japan."

"Why do I feel a little uncomfortable when I hear Mr. Toushan's words?" Li Yu said, "Do you mean that there are three principles for people to be strong? Twenty years ago, I don't think you would have said that. Such words."

"Li Jun is indeed the same as when we first met. I like your personality," Tou Shanman smiled again, and then said, "Mr. Sun has been living with me in Japan for the past two years. He often mentioned you."

Li Yu asked: "How is Mr. Sun doing recently?"

Toushan said with deep meaning: "I'm very busy."

It has to be said that Toushanman’s political investment has indeed become successful.

He is a private agent of the Japanese government. With his status, many things are very convenient to operate.

At the beginning of the year, Yuan Shikai sent Chief of Finance Zhou Ziqi to Japan, ostensibly to celebrate the coronation of Japan's Taisho Emperor, but secretly to seek Japan's support for his proclaimed emperor.

Japan was very welcoming at first and stated that it would treat him as a state guest. But when Zhou Ziqi arrived, Japan suddenly claimed that it was inconvenient for the royal family and asked for a delay.

Moreover, Japan immediately issued another statement, warning Yuan Shikai not to ignore the unrest in the south and implement an imperial system. Moreover, Lu Zongyu, the minister in Japan, was told through the foreign minister that if Japan did not listen to dissuasion, Japan would regard Yunnan as a warring group and determine that the Beiyang government was obstructing the peace of East Asia.

Anyway, he has a very annoying "I control all of East Asia" attitude.

Little Japan wants to learn from England. Unfortunately it was too late.

Many people can see that Japan is pulling out all the stops on Yuan Shikai in order to prevent chaos in the world; at the same time, it is taking advantage of the current situation to expand its interests in China as much as possible.

As for the Japanese non-governmental organizations that helped the anti-Yuan activities, although the Japanese side did not publicly reward them, it has always acquiesced in them and granted Touyama Manchu and others great freedom of action.

Toyama Mitsuru said: "When I was in China, I heard that Li Jun helped the Empire of Japan obtain a lot of key airship information."

Li Yu immediately asked: "How far has it progressed now?"

Mitsubishi Toyama said: "Through Mitsubishi's participation, a rigid airship that does not belong to the German Zeppelin company has been built. Mitsubishi conducted a flight test from Yokohama to Tokyo two months ago and it went very smoothly."

They were indeed following the route set by Li Yu.

Li Yu said hypocritically: "Congratulations!"

Toyama Mitsuru said: "It is estimated that it won't be long before we can be like Germany, which not only has civilian airship transportation operations, but also can carry out long-range military strikes. After several air strikes on London, German airships once again attacked Paris. It is said that those The French nobles who got up early every day to watch the news were shocked. We also greatly increased their confidence in the airship." Li Yushun exaggerated the results: "The French nobles drank tea and read newspapers in the rear, and regarded the frontline battle reports as after-dinner meals. You can talk about the deaths of tens of thousands of people casually, but just seeing the shadow of the airship scares the shit out of you. If the bombs were dropped more accurately, these people might become the news the next day."

Tou Shanman said: "The spectators have become the news. It is interesting to think about it. Regarding the accuracy of bomb delivery, does Li Jun have any better technical means?"

Li Yu shrugged: "I don't know much about military affairs."

Tou Shanman obviously knew that Li Yu once taught surveying and ballistics at a military academy in Beiyang: "I'm not asking for a specific technical solution, I just want to know if it is theoretically possible."

Li Yu said: "Just a rough thought, there are too many uncontrollable factors, and the wind direction alone is one that cannot be controlled."

Tou Shanman asked: "Can't it be done even through calculation?"

"It definitely can't be done," Li Yu said. "Aerodynamics are very complicated, and there is even chaos in it."

Tou Shanman was quite disappointed with this answer, "Is there any other way?"

Li Yu said: "Unless the bomb will find its target on its own."

Toushan Manyi clapped his hands: "What a great idea!"

Li Yu was surprised. Could he have guessed the advanced idea of ​​precision guidance? Tou Shanman said, "If the soldiers are determined to die..."

Li Yu said awkwardly: "Godly wind?"

Tou Shanman became even more excited after hearing this word, "The divine wind that defeated the Mongolian army! Yes, it is the divine wind."

Li Yu said: "That's in the sky, and people can't fly..."

Toyama Mitsuru said: "I am not referring to air combat. The army must determine the outcome of the battle, and it is the spirit of the bushido that determines whether the army can win."

As expected of the leader of the ronin, a few words circled back to the bushido.

But Li Yu didn't have any good impressions of Bushido. "I remember that there were psychology professors invited from Japan at the Capital University, but I think your country has begun to distort this research a little bit."

Tou Shanman didn't hear anything in Li Yu's words and just said: "A foreigner once recommended to me a psychology book by an Austrian named Freud. I read it and was not interested. If the psychology of foreigners is like this It’s because they have gone astray in terms of development.”

"Okay, I don't understand psychology either." Li Yu said no more.

Tou Shanman took a sip of tea and moistened his throat. "One more thing. Nowadays, the Western medicine aspirin combined with Beijing Changchun Hall's Bifengsan has almost crushed our Japanese Rendan. Li Jun, I know you are now He is the actual controller of Shanghai Bayer Pharmaceuticals. Isn’t it unreasonable for aspirin to be so cheap?”

Li Yu's expression remained unchanged: "The people in our country are poor, and I want to benefit more ordinary people. Is that wrong?"

Tou Shanman said: "I'm a little confused. Isn't the purpose of setting up a factory just to make money? You can obviously sell at a higher price and make more profits. Why do you seem to be doing charity?"

Li Yu smiled and said: "You are right, I just want to do charity."

Toushan Man's mouth twitched.

Japan's rendan was sold well in China before. Later, Sun Zhenlan from Beijing started Changchundang and created Bibibingsan to fight against Japanese rendan.

Sun Zhenlan's nickname is Sun Laodao, and the name Changchun Hall also sounds a bit Taoist. He knew a lot about marketing, so he used the name "Tai Shang Bi Wen San" on the advertisement, still clinging to Taoist ideas; then he wrote the words "Registered by the Ministry of Internal Affairs" and "Registered by the Ministry of Agriculture and Commerce" to express his This medicine is a royal secret and endorsed by the newly established Ministry of Agriculture and Commerce.

In the center of the advertisement is an image of an old Taoist priest with white hair and a childish face.

This is more attractive to ordinary people than the Western image of Japan with a mustache.

The sales of Biwensan increased very rapidly. Later, Changchun Tang came to someone who was better at business, and the annual sales of this medicine exceeded two million boxes, completely suppressing Japanese Rendan.

However, after the July 7th Incident, the Japanese acted rogue and used the military police to forcibly arrest the owner of Changchun Hall and extort a large ransom.

Tou Shanman may know the business method of low-price competition, but now he is really more elusive to Li Yu.

He thought to himself: Li Yu seemed to be on Japan's side by helping Japan obtain airship information; and many of his actions seemed to be making Japan's economy uncomfortable.

I don’t understand, I really don’t understand.

Tou Shanman asked tentatively: "Will Li Jun increase the price of medicines in the future?"

Li Yu said: "It depends on the scale of production. As long as there is a little profit, I follow the principle of small profits but quick turnover."

Tou Shanman shook his head: "Your price is already lower than the selling price in Germany."

Li Yu argued: "Mr. Toushan, although your information is accurate, you have not understood the essence behind it."

Tou Shanman asked: "What is the essence?"

Li Yu said: "Inflation is serious in Germany now, and prices have more than doubled. How can we compare their prices?"

Tou Shanman said: "Li Jun has such an understanding of economics that he can say the word inflation."

Li Yu said: "In addition, Mr. Toushan, you need to know the business strategy of pharmaceutical companies. Some drugs must be sold at low prices. If you want to make money, you need to use other drugs or services."

Toushan's eyes lit up: "For example?"

Li Yu said: "For example, medicine that can restore men's virility."

Tou Shanman laughed loudly: "Most of the Yang-returning medicines are fake. If pharmaceutical companies can really produce them, they can really make endless money."

Li Yu smiled and said: "I just gave an example casually."

Tou Shanman said: "Li Jun is omnipotent. If such a thing is developed in the future, I will thank you very much on behalf of my old friends."

Li Yu almost spit out his tea: "Mr. Toushan, I was just joking."

Tou Shanman said: "I know, but no matter what, I look forward to it. Because I really want to know, apart from producing harmful opium, what kind of profitable things can a pharmaceutical factory produce."

Li Yu thought to himself, it turns out that you Japanese also know the harmful effects of drugs. During the Republic of China, opium was banned in all major concessions. Only opium dens were rampant in the Japanese concessions, just to make dirty money!

(End of this chapter)